The Neknomination trend is believed to have originated in Australia approximately one year ago, and recently encouraged Cal Poly students to chug beers and call out their friends on Facebook and Twitter.
Sara Natividad
Special to Mustang News
That’s the only requirement to fulfill the Neknomination challenge, an international trend that has recently hit Cal Poly. Whoever is nominated must chug a beer — or another creative alcoholic concoction — within 24 hours of being nominated to complete the challenge. After chugging (and maybe a few burps) the participants nominate three more people to complete the challenge. And the cycle continues.
The trend is believed to have originated in Australia approximately one year ago. It is becoming widespread because most people post videos of their nominations on Facebook or Twitter and use the hashtag #neknominations.
Some videos consist of a simple chug, but many participants have gotten creative with their challenges. Different mixed drinks have been created, sometimes shots are taken with the beer, videos are filmed in unique locations and many dress up in outrageous costumes. Others decide costumes aren’t their forte, and chug half-naked instead.
The most common participants in the U.S. are those most famous (or infamous) for drinking and stunts: college students. They tend to nominate at least one person from their school, and usually nominate students attending different schools which may be in different state — spreading the challenge across the nation.
“I’ve seen people nominating each other from all over the country,” agricultural and environmental sciences junior Brandon Malm said.
Malm was nominated by a friend from Cal Poly whom he has known since freshman year. He completed the challenge Thursday afternoon after his class — an ideal time for a beer.
“It’s all fun and games, and a different way of saying ‘what’s up’ to buddies you haven’t talked to in a while,” Malm said.
Malm nominated a friend from Cal Poly who has been studying abroad in Ireland, in an effort to “shout out to him,” he said.
But Neknominations aren’t just a “bro” thing.
History senior Emily Kurtz was nominated Monday afternoon in a Facebook video by her friend from Cal Poly.
“I was really excited because I knew she got nominated,” Kurtz said. “She kept talking about the nomination and I was hoping she would pick me. All of the videos I’ve seen are really funny.”
Kurtz’s three nominations include a Cal Poly student, her best friend from home and “one of the funniest guys she knows,” she said.